Lonely gorilla Jojo seeks companion at Gabon sanctuary

Life inside a small cage

Jojo spent nearly his entire life alone in a tiny enclosure at a private zoo before moving to a sanctuary. He was taken from the wild as an infant when his family was killed by poachers. The eleven-year-old ape has lived without any gorilla friends or family since that traumatic event occurred more than a decade ago. His carers now want to find another rescued or zoo-bred gorilla for him to bond with.

Signs of deep isolation

Professor Gillian Forrester from the University of Sussex describes Jojo as the most extreme case of isolation she has seen in a great ape. Head keeper Maxe Anaclet Makaba notes that the gorilla craves human interaction and gathers leaves to trade for treats. Éric Willaume, who runs the sanctuary, explains that Jojo calls out using silverback sounds when women he knows leave his enclosure.

Global trade context

Jojo is among over 6,000 African primates believed to have been traded worldwide from 2000 through 2023. Experts believe baby great apes taken from their groups at a young age suffer lasting trauma and chronic stress. Conservationists note that while other rescued infants stay together briefly before unraveling, Jojo remains fully mature and isolated.